Epic cabin on the 'secret lake' next to Lake Tahoe listed for $4.725M

The owners worked with renowned architect George Homsey to create a home that complemented the lakefront location.

The owners worked with renowned architect George Homsey to create a home that complemented the lakefront location.

Photo: Sierra Sotheby's International Realty

Photo: Sierra Sotheby's International Realty

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The owners worked with renowned architect George Homsey to create a home that complemented the lakefront location.

The owners worked with renowned architect George Homsey to create a home that complemented the lakefront location.

Photo: Sierra Sotheby's International Realty

Epic cabin on the 'secret lake' next to Lake Tahoe listed for $4.725M

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Architect George Homsey, who passed away this spring, was best known as a collaborator on the iconic integrated-into-the-landscape look at Sea Ranch. As a principal at Esherick Homsey Dodge and Davis, he also designed seven East Bay BART stations, and was the co-author of design guidelines for Yosemite and Sequoia National Forest. In fact, he spearheaded the Yosemite Valley Lodge dining room renovation that now allows for jaw-dropping views of the nearly 2,500 foot waterfall.

Yet his favorite work may have been a five-bedroom, five-bath family home that sits on Fallen Leaf Lake, a smaller, lesser-known vacation spot just south of Lake Tahoe. It's currently on the market for $4.725 million

"We were honored, at the memorial for George Homsey, to have the current head of the firm say that the Mitchell project may well have been George's finest accomplishment," said owner Jane Mitchell. "He chose to invite the firm to the Fallen Leaf home for his retirement dinner."

The Mitchells were drawn to Homsey's work after learning about his design guidelines for Sequoia, as well as Henry's Fork Lodge in Idaho. They worked with Homsey in an "iterative process" over a series of months, trying to figure out "how to be true to the simplistic mountain style and make it work for us," Mitchell said.

Early one morning, she received a call: "It was George. He said, 'I have your house.' He had suddenly had a vision and virtually nothing changed from that day forward; it was perfect."

The 4,000-square-foot home has several of Homsey's most well-known features, including integrating the wood-clad building into its mountain forest site. "George had a unique ability to properly site buildings, windows, stairs, skylights," Mitchell said.

In fact, the architect created several outlooks, one to take in the snowy winter weather and another for the warm summers on the lake. He also used fallen trees from the site to create the home's guardrails.

The Mitchells loved the home so much they spent as much time there some years as their official primary residence in Palo Alto. But now they live in Idaho, near one of their sons and their grandchildren. Their other son lives in Felton, near Santa Cruz, and prefers the beach to the mountains. The home simply wasn't being used like it used to be, Mitchell explained. "We want to see the property enjoyed the way that we and so many of our friends enjoyed it for so many years," she said.

The home came on the market over the summer asking $5.25 million, but failed to find a buyer. It recently returned to market asking $4,725,000.

"Lakefront sales at Fallen Leaf Lake are limited because it is a small community and it is unique in its offerings. This makes determining price point challenging," said listing agent Kelly Flaherty of Sotheby's. "Fallen Leaf's season is short in comparison to other lakefront areas within the Tahoe Basin. Full access is usually limited to May through end of October. With the selling season coming to an end, the sellers of this property decided to adjust their price point with the goal of securing an offer before winter. There has been an increased number of showings and inquiries since the price adjustment was made."

Mitchell believes the flexible design of the property, which also has two smaller guest cabins, and the location will make it the perfect home for some lucky buyer.

"I think that someone will be interested because the property works so well for so many combinations of people who will be interested in the natural environment that Fallen Leaf offers," she said. "Fallen Leaf is like old Tahoe. All of the natural splendor, all of the outdoor activities, and no McDonalds and no casinos. The simple life."

Emily Landes is a writer and editor who is obsessed with all things real estate.